The invention relates to electroactive materials, and more particularly relates to biodegradable electroactive materials (some of which conduct electricity). In its most immediate sense, the invention relates to biodegradable electroactive materials that can be used for delivering drugs to living subjects.
Researchers have investigated the use of electroactive polymers as drug delivery agents. A literature review (D. Svirskis, J. Travas-Sejdic, A. Rodgers, S. Garg, J. Control. Rel. 2010, 146, 6) discusses delivery of adenosine triphosphate, dexamethasone phosphate, DNA, dopamine, nerve growth factor, and N-methylphenothiazine. However, the electroactive polymers used to deliver these drugs are not fully biodegradable. And, while some biodegradable electroactive polymers are known (T. J. Rivers, T. W. Hudson, C. E. Schmidt, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2002, 12, 33) they are unsuitable for use in drug delivery systems because they only become electroactive after being oxidized using iodine, and iodine is toxic.
It would be advantageous to provide a fully biodegradable electroactive material that could be used to deliver a drug to a living subject without requiring use of an oxidizer such as iodine.